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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 11:54 am
Time: 11:54 am
Results for peer support
3 results foundAuthor: Fletcher, Del Roy Title: Offender Peer Interventions: What Do We Know? Summary: The deployment of offenders in peer mentoring roles is increasingly viewed by the UK Government as a key means of ensuring continuity of support for those released from prison, making mainstream services go further; and providing employment opportunities for those displaying an aptitude for such roles. The Justice Secretary in a November 20th 2012 speech has put mentoring at the centre of his emerging plans to improve rehabilitation. The joint Department for Work & Pensions and Ministry of Justice (2010) offender employment review has also recommended that prisoners should provide peer support to assist prison-based Employment and Benefit Advisers. Similarly, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (2011) has suggested investing in offenders that display an aptitude for mentoring roles to improve the prison learning and skills system. 1.2. Aims and objectives of the research Very little is currently known about the practice of using offenders as peer mentors. The present study seeks to begin to address this gap in our knowledge and has four key objectives: • to develop the evidence-base regarding the practice of using offenders in peer mentoring roles • to establish what works (and what does not) • to identify the individual and wider benefits and how these can be maximised in future provision • to develop principles of 'best practice'. 1.3. Research design CRESR has taken a qualitative approach to conducting the research. Qualitative methods are best suited to providing an in-depth understanding of the views, experiences and behaviours of key stakeholders as required by this study. The research comprised three key components: • a literature review to identify and synthesise international evidence • an in-depth case study of the practicalities of using offenders in peer support roles • an expert consultation with individuals drawn from the UK policy and practitioner community. Literature review The study began with a literature review which focussed on U.K. and U.S. material published in English from the 1980s onwards. The search strategy comprised four main methods: • review of academic databases • search of criminal justice agency websites • contact with an international network of experts • 'snowballing' from generic mentoring reviews. Key messages -- • the use of offenders in peer support roles is increasingly recommended by the UK Government as a key means of ensuring continuity of support for those released from prison; making mainstream services go further; and providing employment opportunities for those displaying an aptitude for such roles • yet the evidence-base for this type of approach is meagre. Very little research has investigated the use of offenders in peer support roles and many of the relevant studies have been carried out by individuals keen to extol its virtues • peer support is congruent with the dominant policy discourse which views crime and unemployment as manifestations of personal failure and poor social behaviour. Consequently, the deployment of peers underlines the importance of messages about personal responsibility and self-improvement • the case for the approach rests on four key propositions. First, peers can be effective 'identity models' for offenders- people they can identify with and are living proof that turning away from crime is possible. Second, peer support is necessary because offenders view professional staff as authority figures and are more likely to listen to individuals that have 'walked in their shoes'. Third, it is cost-effective. Finally, the approach can build social capital and resilience within deprived communities • previous research suggests that in the right circumstances peers may be better at engaging offenders; can act as 'identity models'; may be more effective at sharing information and knowledge; and can support managerial and front-line staff struggling with growing workloads • however, it also indicates that the pool of individuals possessing the requisite experience, aptitude and skills may be small; high rates of peer turnover may compromise service delivery; the ambiguity of the role means that mentors are placed in a 'grey area' where they are neither service users nor professionals; and peer programmes require considerable maintenance and support • the case study has exemplified some of the difficulties of integrating a non-traditional workforce. Peers have often lacked confidence and the necessary work-related 'soft' skills; some have found the transition to peer worker difficult and engaged in inappropriate behaviour. Moreover, the deployment of offenders can also reduce organisational flexibility because of the large amount of management support that is required. Details: Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, 2012. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 29, 2013 at: http://www.shu.ac.uk/_assets/pdf/cresr-using-offender-KEP-report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.shu.ac.uk/_assets/pdf/cresr-using-offender-KEP-report.pdf Shelf Number: 127419 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionOffender RehabilitationPeer Mentoring (U.K.)Peer Support |
Author: Fair, Helen Title: Peer relations: Review of learning from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Prison Reform Fellowships - Part IV Summary: This Briefing is concerned with the broad theme of 'connections'. Its particular focus is on interventions visited by the Churchill Fellows which aim to harness the power of peer relations towards positive goals. - This report looks at the importance of positive peer relations at all stages of the criminal justice programme, specifically: - Peer relations as a tool to support desistance and diversion - Promoting positive peer relations in prison - Peer support on release from prison - Research has long documented the enormous influence of peer pressure - whether positive or negative - on offending behaviour. Positive peer pressure is utilised in work with young fathers and programmes which help to develop youth leadership, while work to reduce gang violence aims to counteract the negative effects of peer pressure. - In England and Wales, the growing use and benefits of peer support across the prison estate have been recognised by inspectors. Mentoring roles encompass the provision of emotional support, advising, and facilitating self-help or learning. - Examples of peer support programmes visited by Fellows include a programme run by ex-prisoners in the US which encourages the peer-led and grassroots education of prisoners; the use of drama to promote positive behaviour in prison in South Africa; and a programme in the US which uses life sentence prisoners as 'social mentors' to help new prisoners to adapt to prison life. - The importance of peer support for those leaving prison and re-entering the community is widely recognised, and is increasingly viewed by the UK government as a key means of ensuring continuity of support for those released from prison. - Examples of such 'through the gate' support was seen in Finland, where former prisoners work with those being released from prison to help them access the services they need to resettle back into the community, and in the US through the Delancey Street Foundation, which is entirely staffed by people who have been through the prison system, and teaches marketable skills to recently released prisoners. Details: London: Prison Reform Trust, 2017. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2017 at: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/WCMT/peer_relations_FINAL.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/WCMT/peer_relations_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 146485 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsInmatesPeer RelationsPeer SupportPrisoner ReentryPrisoner RehabilitationPrisonersVolunteers in Criminal Justice |
Author: Peaslee, Liliokanaio Title: Testing the Impact of Mentor Training and Peer Support on the Quality of Mentor-Mentee Relationships and Outcomes for At-Risk Youth Summary: Abstract National trends point to the increased popularity of mentor programs to enhance protective factors and decrease poor life outcomes for at-risk youth. Generally, substantial empirical evidence confirms improved outcomes for at-risk youth involved in mentoring programs; however, there is limited empirical evidence linking mentor training and programmatic support to the strength of mentoring relationships and youth outcomes. This evaluation investigates the impact of Enhanced Mentor Training and Peer Support for mentors on the quality of mentor-mentee relationships and mentee outcomes. Research was conducted in conjunction with an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in Harrisonburg, Virginia, an established mentoring program that has consistently surpassed national standards in all areas of quality metrics. A total of 459 matches were enrolled in the three-year study. We utilized a between-subject experimental design, with three, randomly assigned intervention groups: a) Enhanced Mentor Training b) Peer Support, and c) an Interaction Intervention. The report concludes with recommendations from an implementation analysis and an outcome evaluation to inform the work of mentoring researchers and practitioners. Details: Harrisonburg, VA: James Madison University, 2015. 214p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2019 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/248719.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=270824 Shelf Number: 154248 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Juveniles Mentor Programs Mentor Training Peer Support |